Just about every email user has accidentally deleted important messages at one time or another. If you've deleted an important email from a business contact, Yahoo may be able to reset your inbox to a previous state, allowing you to retrieve the lost message. There's no guarantee that your email will be retrieved, but it is more likely if the messages were deleted within the past 48 hours. To have your email reset, you must submit a form through the Yahoo Help website.

1. Browse to the "Yahoo Mail/Messenger Restore Help Form" site (link in Resources).

3. Click the “Describe the Problem” drop-down menu and select the reason that you are requesting your email be reset from a previous state.

4. Select the number of hours back in time you would like to reset your Yahoo Mail from the “Hours” drop-down menu. Yahoo will attempt to restore your inbox to the closest timeframe available.

5. Type your name and email address in the corresponding fields and click “Submit.” A confirmation message is displayed.

Tips

Back up any emails that you receive after the restore point you requested. Newer messages received since that time will be erased and cannot be retrieved. You can print the emails or forward them to another email address to ensure you have copies for safekeeping.

It can take up to 24 hours for Yahoo to respond to your help request.

Warning

Recent Yahoo Messenger conversations that you received after the requested restore point will also be deleted, so you should back up those messages as well.

About the Author

Maya Walker began writing professionally in 2008. Her articles have appeared on a variety of websites, covering technology, personal finance, music and health topics. Walker is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas.